Ben Mapp’s Billericay Town FC Articles

CARSHALTON ATHLETIC Nickname: The Robins Manager: Peter Adeniyi Stadium: War Memorial Sports Ground Capacity: 5,000 Our final outing before Christmas sees the Blues welcome Carshalton Athletic to New Lodge for today’s encounter. The Robins arrive in Essex on the back of an inconsistent run of form that has seen them slide down the table, and Peter Adeniyi’s side will be keen to rediscover some momentum this afternoon. Carshalton have struggled to find any real rhythm this season, collecting six wins, six draws, and nine defeats from their 21 league fixtures to date. Recent weeks have brought mixed results, with just two victories in their last ten league matches, and their most recent success came over a month ago with a 3-2 win away at Lewes. On their travels this campaign, the Robins have recorded three wins, three draws, and five defeats. Their latest away outing ended in frustration, conceding a stoppage-time equaliser in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Wingate & Finchl...

Aveley 3 (Harris 17, 18, 38) – Billericay Town 3 (Long 8, 56, Scott 68) Chris Harris’ remarkable first half hat trick proved insufficient for Aveley as a spirited second half comeback from Billericay Town saw the points shared in a breathless contest at Parkside on Friday evening. Harris’ treble overturned an early Elliot Long opener, but goals after the break from Long and Ryan Scott earned the Blues a deserved point on the road. The opening goal arrived inside eight minutes and came courtesy of a defensive error, as Aveley defender Jayden Gipson was caught in possession, allowing Long a clear run through on goal, and he kept his composure to slot past Joe Wright and give Ricay the lead. That advantage lasted just eight minutes as the Harris show began. Harry Critchley’s long ball picked out the Aveley forward, who brought it under control before finishing calmly from close range to restore parity. The Millers then struck again barely a minute later. A dangerous delivery from the righ...

Billericay Town 5 (Nash 29, 36, Izekor 53, Steward 60, Owen 68) – Tilbury 0 Liam Nash struck twice in the first half to set Billericay Town on course for the Essex Senior Cup semi-finals, rounding off a confident performance that eased them past a spirited but inexperienced Tilbury side at New Lodge. Further goals after the interval from Daniel Izekor, Ben Steward and Tyrese Owen sealed Ricay’s place in the last four and ended a run of three games without victory. Both teams rotated heavily and the contest began at a lively tempo. Billericay created the first big chance after five minutes when Steward rounded Dion Curtis-Henry but clipped the post with the goal at his mercy. Tilbury responded well, enjoying a bright period that saw captain Daniel Trendall fire over from distance before Maxwell Appauh tested Sam Donkin with a strike low to his left. The visitors continued to look sharp in possession, but Billericay’s back three held firm and the hosts gradually wrestled control. The bre...

Billericay Town 1 (Collis 29 pen) – Dulwich Hamlet 2 (Wanadio 16 pen, Kassarate 62) Amadou Kassarate’s second half strike secured Dulwich Hamlet their first victory over Billericay in more than seven years. His 62 nd  minute goal gave Hamlet the points at New Lodge after Teddy Collis’ penalty cancelled out Luke Wanadio’s earlier effort from 12 yards. The Blues registered the first chance after eight minutes when Jack Evans fired past Toby Bull’s upright, but Hamlet soon took control of proceedings and went close themselves soon after as Wanadio curled an effort inches past the post. And it was Wanadio who scored the opener not long after, converting confidently from the spot after Matt Johnson brought down his man inside the area. The goal sparked Ricay into life and they began to build pressure of their own. Their persistence was rewarded just before the half hour, when Merrifield was bundled over by Joseph Adewunmi and Collis stepped up, sending Bull the wrong way to level the co...

DULWICH HAMLET Nickname: The Hamlet Manager: Mark Dacey Stadium: Champion Hill Capacity: 3,334 The Blues return to New Lodge after a two-week break, welcoming a fifth straight opponent from south of the river as Dulwich Hamlet make the journey from SE22. Mark Dacey’s side arrive on a disappointing run of form, yet sit just one place below the Blues, setting up an intriguing clash this afternoon. Hamlet opened the season in superb fashion, winning five of their first six matches and conceding only twice. Their early momentum has since faded, with just one league win in their last 14 outings – a 4-2 home victory over St Albans in front of a capacity crowd last month. Their most recent triumph in any competition came last Tuesday, as they beat Brentford B 1-0 in the London Senior Cup. On the road, Dulwich have produced a mixed return of two wins, five draws, and three defeats, though they have not won an away league fixture since a 2-0 success at Ramsgate on 16 August, leav...

Wingate & Finchley 2 (Akinola 54, Keller 63) – Billericay Town 2 (Collis 44 (pen), Long 53) Former Billericay man Cain Keller’s superb second half strike denied his old club all three points as Wingate fought back from two goals down to earn a point at Summers Lane. His goal arrived just nine minutes after Romeo Akinola had halved the deficit, cancelling out Teddy Collis’ penalty on the stroke of half time and a brilliant Elliot Long effort early in the second period. On a lively afternoon in north London, the action came with its fair share of controversy. Wingate were adamant they should have had a penalty inside two minutes when Keon Lewis-Burgess appeared to haul down Casey Shann in the area, but referee Joshua Evans waved play on. Billericay gradually took control and began creating the clearer chances. Daniel Izekor sent a header straight at Jamie Grossart before Jack Evans struck the post with a low drive on 20 minutes. Matt Johnson then saw a looping header drift inches wid...

Hashtag United 4 (Smith 17, Rusoke 55, Kouassi 64, Sach 73) – Billericay Town 0 Hashtag United produced a four-star performance to knock out holders Billericay Town in the third round of the Velocity Cup. After a lively opening from a much-changed Ricay side, the Tags grew into the contest and ultimately put Danny Scopes’ men to the sword, with goals from Josh Rusoke, Evans Kouassi and Bradley Sach adding to Jermaine Anderson’s early strike. The Tags carved out the first opening inside five minutes when Praise Ogbebor somehow failed to turn in Rusoke’s pinpoint cross from close range. Billericay responded well and began to control the early exchanges, with Tyrese Owen drawing a routine stop from Jack Giddens before 16-year-old Joe Davis saw a deflected effort come back off the woodwork after a fine solo run. Moments later, Teddy Collis was denied superbly by Giddens from point-blank range as the Blues searched for the opener. The end-to-end tempo continued and Ogbebor forced Dondre Abr...

Billericay Town 6 (Long 36, Evans 49, 90+4, Merrifield 66, 85, Davis 80) - Welling United 1 (Majoyegbe 56) Jack Evans produced one of the goals of the season as Billericay Town swept aside struggling Welling United with a dominant display on a wet afternoon at New Lodge. Evans’ audacious long-range strike four minutes into the second half set the tone for a clinical Ricay performance, adding to Elliot Long’s first-half opener. And while Lekan Majoyegbe briefly halved the deficit for Ryan Maxwell’s side, the points were made safe thanks to a Frankie Merrifield brace and further goals from Tommy Davis and Evans. The Blues began brightly and could have taken an early lead when Liam Nash fired over from close range inside five minutes. Nash then had a penalty shout waved away by referee Alfie Finch-Critchley, before first-half substitute Teddy Collis flashed a deflected shot just wide of the mark. Collis was again involved before the half hour as the hosts started to dictate proceedings, s...

WELLING UNITED Nickname: The Wings Manager: Ryan Maxwell Stadium: Park View Road Capacity: 4,000 The Blues return to New Lodge this afternoon after back-to-back away fixtures, welcoming Welling United for the first time in more than three years. The Wings arrive in a period of transition, with new manager Ryan Maxwell taking charge of his first Isthmian Premier League match since his appointment earlier this week. It has been a difficult campaign for Welling following their relegation from the National League South last season. They have managed just three wins from their opening 16 league games, losing the other 13, and have already seen three managers in the dugout, with Lee Martin and Rod Stringer both departing before Maxwell’s arrival. There were early signs of encouragement for the new boss in midweek, as he guided his side to a 3–1 victory over a youthful Folkestone Invicta team in the Velocity Cup. However, the league form remains a pressing concern, with the Win...

Little Oakley 1 (Arnold 90) – Billericay Town 2 (Parsons 39, Nash 58) A youthful Billericay Town side progressed into the last eight of the Essex Senior Cup with a hard-fought victory over Little Oakley on a bitterly cold evening in northern Essex. A first Blues goal for Ollie Parsons and a second-half strike from Liam Nash were enough to see off the Essex Senior League side, who created plenty of chances and set up a tense finish through Louis Arnold’s late goal, but Danny Scopes’ team held firm to extend their unbeaten run to five games in all competitions. It was a scrappy start to proceedings, with neither side able to build sustained possession. The first opening fell to the visitors eight minutes in when Alfie Cerulli latched onto Teddy Collis’ through ball, but he could not keep his effort down. Cerulli went close again ten minutes later, dragging a strike wide from the edge of the box. The Acorns grew into the contest as the half developed and created their first clear chance j...

Whitehawk 0-0 Billericay Town Billericay Town claimed their first league clean sheet of the season on a brisk November afternoon at The Enclosed Ground, but neither they nor hosts Whitehawk could find a breakthrough in a hard-fought stalemate on a challenging surface. The Hawks started sharply and created the first opening inside two minutes, with Charlie Lambert flashing an effort wide of Sam Donkin’s post. Grant Hall then fired a volley over soon after as Shaun Saunders’ side continued to control the early stages. Billericay responded with their first effort on target when Liam Nash’s free-kick was pushed away by on-loan Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Francis Hurl. The keeper was called into action again just before the 20-minute mark, though Elliot Long’s strike from the edge of the box caused him no problems. The best chance of the half fell to the hosts on 25 minutes when a dangerous cross from the right found Destiny Ojo, who fired over from close range with only Donkin to beat. Th...